Vocational guidance and multicultural challenges in Poland POLAND University of Lodz Anna Paszkowska-Rogacz Labour market integration of immigrants in Europe - Implications for guidance policy, practice and research Thessaloniki, September 2011.

Agenda Situational analysis Consequences Challenges Government’s response Guidance response Publications Resources

Basic information Area: sq. km. Population: Capital City: Warsaw Political system: Republic Executive authority: President of the Republic of Poland Currency: Polish zloty (PLN) Situational analysis

Historical development to current situation The democratic system has been functioning in Poland since 1989 On 29 July 1989 the Parliament changed the country's name and constitution The People's Republic of Poland became a thing of the past. The age of the Republic of Poland commenced Since that time social, economic and political changes began to take place gradually On 1st May 2004 the EU welcomed 74 million new European Citizens whose right to take up employment freely in any of the Member States  undeniable East-West labour migration occurred  however at the same time, there was evidence of some West-East migration too, nevertheless, to a lesser extent Situational analysis

Historical development of multiculturality Before 1939 Poland was a big mosaic of different ethnic and religious groups (e.g. Ukrainians, Jews, Byelorussians, Germans, - Polish only 65.5%) After 1945 Poland was changed into a one of the least differentiated countries in Europe – (minorities only 0.80% of citizens) Between 1945 – 1989 all migration processes were officially prohibited Experience of multiculturality - very inherent in Polish society in 1918 – has been forgiven Situational analysis

National and ethnic minorities in Poland in 2002 ( = 0.8%) Germans – Byelorussians – Ukrainians – Lithuanians – Russians – Slovaks – 1710 Jews – 1055 Roms Lemkos – 5850 Tartars – 447 Czechs – 386 Armenians – 262 Karaites – 43 Kaschubs (regional language) – Situational analysis

Foreigners living in Poland in 2009 (Polish population of 38,2 million) Numbers of foreigners living in the country are about people including EU citizens Foreigners accounted for only 0.1 percent of Poland's population - the lowest percentage in the European Union, according to Eurostat ( ) Employed: of which women On average in 2009, foreign citizens living in Poland were significantly older than the population of nationals (median age years 42.4 compared with 37.8 years). Situational analysis

Foreign citizens applying for refugee status between Situational analysis

Nationalities applying for refugee status in Poland in 2010 Situational analysis

Applications and requests in matters concerning legalisation of the foreigners' stay on the territory of Republic of Poland between Situational analysis

Residence permits for a long-term EC resident in 2010 Situational analysis

Residence permits for a specified period of time in 2010 Situational analysis

Settlement permits in 2010 Situational analysis

Work permits in 2010 Situational analysis

Nationalities of employed foreign workers in 2011 Nationality# # Ukraine9.504Nepal838 China4.536Korea624 Vietnam2.577Armenia619 Belarus1.669Moldova601 Turkey1.422Japan551 India1.164Russia540 Situational analysis

Main sectors in which foreign workers were employed in 2009  Manufacturing (2.739)  Education (2.401)  Trade; repair of motor vehicles (1.607)  Transportation and storage (1.105)  Professional, scientific and technical activities (957)  Administrative and support service activities (743)  Information and communication (498)  Financial and insurance activities (473)  Construction (461)  Accommodation and catering (458)  Human health and social work activities (317)  Arts, entertainment and recreation (298)  Agriculture, forestry and fishing (86) BUT…………… Situational analysis

…obstacles to accept work mobility in Poland become evident (1) General problems of Polish economic transformation e.g. high unemployment rate (11.7% ) Legal/administrative obstacles - the misinformation, the complicated system of work permit applications (where appropriate), the lengthy procedure of applications, the difficulty in the recognition of professional qualification and experiences, the portability of social security rights and health insurance Situational analysis

Material obstacles - the travel costs, the cost of living in a foreign country (housing problems are very often), the cost of money transfers, weak system of social welfare Social and psychological obstacles:  Polish society is not prepared enough to the debate about conditions and consequences of contemporary migration processes  Knowledge about mechanisms of mobility and their influence on integration and globalisation is insufficient e.g. difference between immigrants and refugees are not disseminated  Attitudes toward foreigners are still based on stereotypes, attitudes and resentments Situational analysis …obstacles (2)

Example – some figures - foreigners in Poland 30% Polish know at least one person from different country (improvement of 5% in last 5 years) 73% Polish accept foreigners on national labour market - 31% without limitations; 42% in special jobs (e.g. construction); 22% is against their employment At work respondents prefer to make contacts with Polish people then with foreigners; 49% prefer co-workers from Poland; for 45% it is not important; only 4% prefer to work with foreigners 51% prefer Polish as a manager; for 39% respondents it is not important Situational analysis

Consequences the possible isolation of the migrant workers from the host community; the feeling of being a foreigner or even worse, a “second class” citizen the dilemma of the “difficult, dirty and dangerous” jobs, which isolates them even more from the host community cases exploitation at the workplace, non-respect of individual rights or abuse. (e.g. workers from Ukraine, Vietnam, Belarus, Korea)

Challenges The reception of migrant workers by a foreign country is first of all a demand-driven phenomenon, whereas migration can not occur unless there are jobs available on the Polish labour market From the other side A number of studies and researches pointed out that post-enlargement labour migration has had a positive impact on national production and also on consumption

Examples of government’s response „Polish social strategy 2007 – 2013 – one of priorities: „social and vocational integration of immigrants” by four tasks: Implementation of social and vocational integration policy in all public institution Implementation of anti-dyscrimination policy against xenophobic attitudes towards groups of immigrants Training of public administration and to prepare them to work with refugees Developing of the process of creation of elites and empowerment of refugees’ society

Examples of guidance response  Project INTI ( ): „Empowering migrants: Integration through Information and Training of Public Officials and NGOs” (  Project ESF (2008): „Migration policy as an element of employment and downsize reduction”  Project EQUAL: ( ) „Intercultural Centre of Vocational Adaptation”  Guidance centre for migrants  Postgraduate study for guidance practitioners  University of Lodz. Postgraduate study for career counsellors – module „Multicultural counselling”  National Centre of Vocational and Permanent Education – short term courses for guidance practitioners (also e-learning)

Publications (1) Vocational Guidance and Multicultural Challenges Practical guidelines for practitioners how to work with clients form other cultures

Publications (2) Developing Multicultural Competences of Guidance Practitioners

Intercultural Centre of Vocational Adaptation Publications (3)

Workshop of Multicultural Competences. Manual for trainers Publications (4)

Intercultural Centre of Vocational Guidance Publications (5)

Resources LIC/ BP/EN/ BP- EN.PDF LIC/ BP/EN/ BP- EN.PDF

Thank you for your attention Anna Paszkowska-Rogacz Institute of Psychology Department of Occupational Psychology and Career Counselling ul. Smugowa 10/12, Lodz Poland phone: fax: